1. Field of the Invention
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present general inventive concept relate to an image forming apparatus and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus which performs an improved color registration process using a test image and a control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus such as a laser printer exposes a photosensitive member, develops a toner, and transfers and fuses the toner to a printing medium such as a paper, thereby forming an image.
Generally, an image forming apparatus to form a color image includes an image forming part which has a laser scanning unit (LSU) provided corresponding to a plurality of colors, and a plurality of photosensitive members and transfer rollers, etc. The plurality of photosensitive members are arranged along a transport path of a printing medium transported by a transporting means such as a transporting belt.
The image forming apparatus forms an image for color registration (hereinafter, referred to as a test image) other than an actual image in order to adjust an image forming characteristic (hereinafter, referred to as color registration) of the image forming part, e.g., determination of a developing condition, color registration, etc.
Conventionally, the color registration is performed in an initializing process when the image forming apparatus is provided with power or after the predetermined number of papers is printed.
In the color registration, an image of data is not printed (hereinafter, referred to as printing data). Rather, a test image is formed. The test image is not formed during a printing process for the printing data, but is formed during the aforementioned initializing process before start of the printing process or after completion of a predetermined number of the printing process.
Thus, a lengthy period of time transpires from when the image forming apparatus is supplied with power until a first printing output is obtained (hereinafter, referred to as a first page output time). In other words, the time to obtain a printing output is delayed.
Further, if the color registration is performed separately from the printing process, a color discordance occurring in the actual printing process may not be properly reflected on the color registration.